so in that respect, doesn't this seem just a little too bold and certainly not like the obama of the last term. >> well, that's music to my ears because i think john boehner got the better of the president, frankly, speaker boehner, in the last negotiations that they had in 2011, and it suggests that the president, he does, he has the wind at his back. the piece that's sticking right now should be the easiest, which is locking in 98% of the bush tax cuts. this was something mary worked hard on, people like me opposed them, democrats hated those bush tax cuts. now the president is willing to enshrine 98% of those tax cuts and the republicans can't take yes for an answer because they are not really fighting for lower taxes. they're fighting for the upper 2% of income earners and that's a losing proposition. 70% of americans think those of us who are blessed and are upper income americans ought to pay a little bit more. >> so mary, why doesn't that make sense? shouldn't the winner come in as paul said with the wind at his back. he does have a mandate. >> he does not have a mandate. peop